Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 8, 2026

Continental C85 series

4,671 aircraft on the U.S. register carry a Continental C85 series engine, rated at about 85 horsepower. The Cessna 140 is the model most often fitted with it (1,253 aircraft). The aircraft carrying it were built between 1940 and 2023.

The FAA records engines by code, usually at the level of a series ("O-320 series") rather than the exact variant; this page gathers every FAA code that reads as Continental C85 series. FAA spelling: C85 SERIES.

Fitted to model families

Model families, as a table

	aircraft
Cessna 140	1,253
Cessna 120	602
Piper J-3 Cub	519
Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ)	360
Luscombe 8 Silvaire	321
Ercoupe 415	267
Aeronca 11 Chief	136
Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415	111
Piper PA-11 Cub Special	68
Engineering & Research 415	68
Taylorcraft BC12 BC-12D	60
Commonwealth 185	57

Cessna 140 · Cessna 120 · Piper J-3 Cub · Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ) · Luscombe 8 Silvaire · Ercoupe 415 · Aeronca 11 Chief · Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415 · Piper PA-11 Cub Special · Engineering & Research 415

Where they are owner's state

Texas401California397Florida267Washington191Alaska185Wisconsin167Minnesota162Ohio152Michigan149Illinois139

By state, as a table

	aircraft
Texas	401
California	397
Florida	267
Washington	191
Alaska	185
Wisconsin	167
Minnesota	162
Ohio	152
Michigan	149
Illinois	139

Kind of aircraft

Piston singles4,669 (100%)Piston twins1 (0.0%)Helicopters1 (0.0%)

By kind, as a table

	aircraft	share
Piston singles	4,669	100%
Piston twins	1	0.0%
Helicopters	1	0.0%

When the aircraft were built by decade

By decade built, as a table

	aircraft
1930	37
1940	3,453
1950	83
1960	43
1970	65
1980	46
1990	36
2000	22
2010	7
2020	2

What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Continental C85 series the component layer

The design is held under 1 type certificate (E-233, held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC.). The FAA has issued 7 airworthiness directives (orders that owners must comply with) that name this engine series. Operators and repair shops have filed 12 failure reports with the FAA since 1995, 4 of them in the last ten years.

FAA orders 7 airworthiness directives · newest first

1998-10-1998-17-11 · Crankshafts · engine

1996-02-1394-05-05 R1 · Cylinder Rocker · engine

1995-11-2895-21-15 · Aviation Gasoline · engine

1993-12-1493-22-05 · Carburetor Air Intake Housing Assemblies · engine

1981-04-0181-07-06 · AC Fuel Pumps · engine

47-40-02 · Piston Pins · engine

All orders naming the Continental C85 series

Failure reports 12 since · what operators and shops told the FAA

Failure reports by year, as a table

	reports
95	1
01	1
02	1
03	1
05	1
07	2
08	1
13	2
22	2

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Spar2Throttle Cable2Bearing1Control Unit1Downlock Switch1Elt1Exhaust Valve1Guide1Propeller1Rib1

Parts most reported, as a table

	reports
Spar	2
Throttle Cable	2
Bearing	1
Control Unit	1
Downlock Switch	1
Elt	1
Exhaust Valve	1
Guide	1
Propeller	1
Rib	1

Latest reports

2022-11-23Exhaust Valve: stuck

2022-01-07Propeller: broken

2013-09-05Throttle Cable: broken

2013-05-02Throttle Cable: broken

2008-02-29Rib: corroded

Certificates and bulletins

E-233Type certificate held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC. · 31 models listed · revised September 19, 2022

Safety bulletins 6 · advice, not orders

2018-09-10NE-18-27 · POWERPLANT Rocker Shaft Boss Inspection

2016-03-08NE-16-13 · Powerplant - Prohibited use of sealant

2012-10-31NE-13-04 · Continental Motors, Inc. (CMI) Connecting Rod Piston Pin Bushing Inspection

1998-06-10CE-98-21R1 ·

1997-12-31ACE-98-21 ·

Sources: the FAA's type certificate data sheets, airworthiness directives, supplemental type certificates, special conditions and special airworthiness information bulletins (Dynamic Regulatory System), and the FAA's service difficulty reports. A failure report is what an operator or repair station chose to file; the counts show reporting as much as reliability, and larger and commercial fleets report more. How the systems are grouped.

Connections how this engine series links to the rest of the register

Fitted to

Cessna 140 1,253 with this engine series
Cessna 120 602 with this engine series
Piper J-3 Cub 519 with this engine series
Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ) 360 with this engine series
Luscombe 8 Silvaire 321 with this engine series
Ercoupe 415 267 with this engine series
Aeronca 11 Chief 136 with this engine series
Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415 111 with this engine series

Where they are

Texas 401 of these aircraft
California 397 of these aircraft
Florida 267 of these aircraft
Washington 191 of these aircraft
Alaska 185 of these aircraft

Biggest operators

Plane Fun INC Tr Trustee 10 of these aircraft
Southern Aircraft Consultancy INC Trustee 8 of these aircraft
Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum 5 of these aircraft
Eaa Aviation Foundation INC 5 of these aircraft
Riggin Flight Service INC 4 of these aircraft

Airworthiness

FAA orders naming the Continental C85 series 7 airworthiness directives
Failure reports on the Continental C85 series 12 reports since 1995

Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/engine/continental-c85-series.json.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 4,671

Tail no.	Maker and model	Group	Owner and base	Certificate	Status
N2126N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	Sale reported
N21575	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	Pending
N2197B	Luscombe 8A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	Pending
N2383H	Ercoupe 415-CD	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	Sale reported
N24157	Funk B85C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Indy Air Sales LLC Anderson, Indiana	Standard	Valid
N2486V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	Sale reported
N2504K	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	Pending
N2525E	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	Pending
N2637N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	Pending
N2651K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	Pending
N2654K	Luscombe 8A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	None on file	Revoked
N2848N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Indy Air Sales LLC Anderson, Indiana	Standard	Valid
N2869K	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	Pending
N299CB	Norton Claude C TAILWIND - W8	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Experimental	Canceled
N3068K	Piper J3C-85	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	Pending
N3128N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	Sale reported
N3141N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	Sale reported
N3147H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Standard	Pending
N3184N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	Sale reported
N3194N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	Sale reported
N3201H	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	Sale reported
N3372H	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	Valid
N35035	Piper J5A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	Pending
N3549W	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	Pending
N3602H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	Sale reported
N3689E	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	Pending
N3973C	Ercoupe G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	Pending
N408N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	Sale reported
N4166E	Aeronca 11CC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mpms INC Munford, Tennessee	Standard	Valid
N42408	Piper J-3C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Restricted	Revoked
N44184	Taylorcraft Aviation Corp 19	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	Pending
N44462	Taylorcraft Aviation Corp 19	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	Pending
N44684	Culver V	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	Sale reported
N45732	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	Pending
N45804	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	No owner on file	Standard	Pending cancellation
N4710M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	Revoked
N6443H	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	Pending cancellation
N72237	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	Pending
N72325	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	Pending
N72827	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	Pending
N72862	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alabama	Standard	Pending cancellation
N73081	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	Sale reported
N7555E	Champion 7EC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	Pending
N76028	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	Pending
N76120	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	Sale reported
N76475	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	Expired dealer
N77017	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	Pending
N77414	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	Sale reported
N77557	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Smith Aviation LLC Springer, Oklahoma	Restricted	Valid
N77729	Funk B85C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Experimental	Valid
N81040	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bas Part Sales LLC Greeley, Colorado	Standard	Valid
N86961	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	Sale reported
N87D	Cessna 172F	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	Pending
N88062	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	None on file	Revoked
N88112	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	None on file	Revoked
N888J	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Smith Aviation LLC Springer, Oklahoma	Standard	Valid
N89105	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	Pending
N89233	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	Sale reported
N89399	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	Pending
N89411	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	Pending
N89669	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	Pending
N90085	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	Pending
N90148	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	Pending
N92224	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Wallis Aircraft INC Clifford Township, Pennsylvania	Standard	Valid
N93369	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	None on file	Revoked
N93997	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	Pending
N94172	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Central Virginia Aviation INC North Dinwiddie, Virginia	Standard	Valid
N9429A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	Pending
N94411	Ercoupe G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	Sale reported
N946PD	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Multiple	Canceled
N94779	Ercoupe E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	Pending

Source: FAA Civil Aviation Registry, Releasable Aircraft Database (the engine reference table and each aircraft's engine code), October 8, 2026. Horsepower and thrust are the FAA's figures for the series, not for a particular aircraft.